Anheuser-Busch InBev is expanding its fast-growing BEES B2B digital sales platform through multiple channels, including its marketplace for third-party suppliers of beer and non-beer products.

The Belgium-based brewer owns such brands as Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona. It says gross merchandise value transacted through BEES increased 27% year over year in the third quarter to $10.4 billion. That accounts for about 66% of AB InBev’s total Q3 revenue of $15.57 billion. In addition, it said BEES had a monthly active user base of 3.4 million users as of Sept. 30. That’s up about 10% from 3.1 million a  year earlier.

AB InBev launched the BEES digital platform in Brazil in 2020 and now does business with over 6 million companies across 25 countries, selling about 500 brands.

A B2B marketplace for beer and non-beer products

Most of AB InBev’s sales are to retailers that order beer brands online through the BEES digital platform, which includes a mobile app designed to show retail buyers personalized product recommendations and let them schedule deliveries and manage orders and deliveries. But the brewer is also reporting fast growth through the BEES marketplace for beer and non-beer products from third-party sellers, including major brand manufacturers such as Kraft Heinz.

Michel Doukeris, CEO, AB InBev

AB InBev CEO Michel Doukeris said on a third-quarter earnings call with investment analysts that the BEES third-party marketplace generated Q3 revenue of “approximately $420 million in GMV, representing approximately $1.7 billion on an annualized basis.” That puts the BEES marketplace on course to double gross merchandise sales this year, up from the $850 million it recorded in full-year 2022. AB InBev notes that 65% of all BEES customers are purchasing products on the marketplace.

Not all BEES channels showed year-over-year growth. Q3 direct-to-consumer sales of $125 million on the digital platform increased 8.7% from $115 million in Q2 but fell by about two-thirds from $385 million a year earlier.

AB InBev’s overall Q3 revenue grew 5% year over year to $15.57 billion from $15.09 billion.

Paul Demery is a Digital Commerce 360 contributing editor covering B2B digital commerce technology and strategy. [email protected].

Percentage changes may not align exactly with dollar figures due to rounding. Check back for more earnings reports.

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